


Adopted

by Miss McKeil (Elsey_Snape)



Category: Gossip Girl
Genre: Adoption, Bart is not a Bass-tard, Bart tries to bond with the kids, Day drinking, Gen, Lily's mistreatment of staff, Serena is a horrible friend, no Rufus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-25 19:15:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16666651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsey_Snape/pseuds/Miss%20McKeil
Summary: Bart is devastated by the loss of his wife after the birth of their son. Little Charles is adopted by a nice couple from Connecticut but things happen sixteen years later that lead Charles back to New York and into the Bass household. Everyone has to adjust to the new situation and it's a bit rocky at times. Not everyone is on board with the new Bass in town.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this nine years ago in 2009 which is why the final few seasons and their events are disregarded. I recently came back to it so Chapter 5 and on are newly written. This was previously posted on fanfiction.net under the same title. There have been minor changes to the early chapters but nothing that really changes the story, only editing for clarity, grammar, or because 32 year old me re-read it and couldn't stand the words 23 year old me wrote. I am still working on editing previous chapters and will post as I finish.

1991

Bart really did believe he was doing the right thing as he signed the papers giving up his parental rights to his son. He looked at his baby boy one last time and shook hands with his son's adoptive father. They had agreed that Bart would see him when he was older and could understand everything about why Bart was giving him up. Bart did in fact love his son, but he didn't think he could take care of him the way he deserved.

Bart watched his three day old son be carried away by his new parents. Parents who would love him the way Bart knew he could not love his son. Charles would be happy with them. They were good people. He had his private investigator working overtime to make sure they were decent people. They lived comfortably in Connecticut; his son would be well cared for. For his own peace of mind, he had told the Baileys that he would send them money every month. He didn't tell them how much. They would find out soon enough. He hadn't wanted an argument with them, they could do as they liked with the money, as long as Charles was cared for.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

Sixteen years later

2007

Charlie Bailey looked at himself in the mirror. He looked good. Plain white tee and his faded blue jeans. He pulled a hoodie on over his tee shirt and smirked. He ran his hand through his hair, didn't bother to comb it. Today was his sixteenth birthday and his friends were supposedly throwing him a big party that weekend. It was a big weekend and though he seldom got excited he was looking forward to the party. It also marked the end of the school year, always a time for celebration for him and his friends. He checked his book bag to make sure he had that stupid English paper that he had stayed up until two finishing. He would never hear the end of it from his teacher if he forgot another assignment.

He walked down the stairs because his mother always hated when he ran in the house. His parents were sitting at the kitchen counter talking quietly, but as he approached, they stopped talking. "Because that doesn't make me paranoid." His mother stood and kissed his cheek.

"Happy birthday, Charlie. I made your favorite for breakfast."

"Ah, thanks mom. That sounds great. Good morning dad." Charlie gave his dad a hug from behind nearly knocking him off his stool.

"Good morning, champ. Happy birthday." His dad smiled at him. They had had a talk the night before about a girl in his class. Charlie could barely concentrate when she was around and his nearly perfect grade point average and his lacrosse record were taking a hit. "You get that paper done?" Charlie nodded and sat down as his mom set a plate of Belgian waffles with a smiley face made of whipped cream and strawberries.

"Thanks mom. This looks great."

"Well, nothing is too good for my baby." She touched his cheek and sighed. He looked at her curiously but she looked away. "What time will you be home tonight, Charlie?"

"Uh, same time as usual. I have to tutor this kid for like a half hour and then I have play rehearsal so I should be home for dinner. Why? Are you planning something special for me?" He knew his parents had something planned the way they would stop talking whenever he came in the room, he just couldn't figure it out.

"Well, you are going to have a visitor tonight. We just wanted to make sure you wouldn't be getting home too late."

"Who's coming? Is George coming up from school? It'd be so great if I got to see him. I've really missed him."

"No, honey, it's not George." Charlie's mom looked to her husband and he nodded, signally that it was time to tell Charlie who was coming. "Sweetie, your birth father is coming to see you tonight. We agreed that he could come up when you were older to see you and talk to you."

"Okay. Well, that's interesting. What's he like? I mean, do you even know anything about this guy?"

His mom smiled, "We've kept in touch with him so he knows all about you, and he is looking forward to meeting you and talking with you. He's a complicated man, but he'll tell you anything you want to know."

Charlie nodded. He didn't quite understand and he didn't really want to meet the man who had given him up when he was just a few days old. "Okay, well I should be getting to school. I love you guys." He kissed his mom and gave his dad a pat on the back.

He got to the door and turned back to them. "Are you guys okay with this? With him coming to see me? Because I'm not sure I'm okay with this."

"Of course, we are, but we did spring this on you. If you aren't ready, we can call and reschedule." Charlie's father looked in his son's eyes, not recognizing the sad look in them. He had never seen his son look so lost. "Everything will be fine, Charles. He is your father. He should have been in your life the whole time. Maybe now he can be. And you might discover some things about yourself in the process." His dad smiled at him, and his mother nodded in agreement.

"Okay, let's do it." Might as well rip the band-aid off quickly. Charlie looked at the time. "I have to go. I love you."

"Have a good day, sweetie. We love you." He smiled at his parents and left for school.

Charlie walked down the sidewalk and when he got to the mailbox, turned around, staring at his childhood home and sighed. He shook his head and walked down the street and down the three blocks to his high school. Charlie rolled his eyes as he thought about his birth father. He had always known that he was adopted, but he knew his parents loved him so it never bothered him. George was his favorite cousin. Actually, he was the only cousin he ever really saw and the only one of his cousins who treated him like he was really a part of the family. The rest of his cousins were older and lived all over the country. But George was almost a big brother to him and Charlie had missed him terribly since he had left for college and wouldn't be home again for a few more weeks.

Charlie had said he would meet his supposed father but he didn't think he was ready. He didn't really want to meet with this man yet. He didn't really know the circumstances surrounding his adoption. His parents always said it had been "complicated." It was their favorite word regarding the adoption and his birth parents. Of course it was complicated, he had been given up when he was three days old. Charlie banished these thoughts from his head as he climbed the steps to his school. He had a math test first period and a girl to try avoid thinking about.

That particular girl was his lab partner in third period chemistry. He loved science but in this particular class, with her as his lab partner, Charlie couldn't do anything right. In fact, two weeks ago, he had managed to set off the fire alarm and the sprinklers.

He nearly jumped out of his chair toward the end of class when she spoke to him. "So, it's your birthday, right?" Corinna always sat next to him even if they weren't doing lab work. She would copy off of him even though he knew she could do the work herself. He didn't care though. He was surprised that she said anything to him though. Usually, she only talked to him about their assignments.

"Huh? Oh yeah, it is. How'd you know?"

"I heard some of the guys saying happy birthday to you earlier. You never said anything to me about it. If I had known I would have got you something." Corinna smiled shyly at Charlie.

"Well, thanks, I guess? Anyway, the guys are having a party for me this weekend. You should come." Charlie instantly regretted saying that, "But I totally understand if you don't-"

"Calm down, Charlie. Geez, it's like you never asked out a girl. I would love to come to your party. Text me and let me know the details." She smiled and looked at the clock as the bell rang. "Time to go. See you later." Just as she got to the door, she turned back and blew a kiss to him, "happy birthday," and walked out the door. He let out a breath and shook his head. He should have asked to have lunch with her.

Charlie Bailey was not a nerd or a dork or anything of that sort. He wasn't overly popular, either. He was well-known, well-liked, an upstanding young man. He was athletic, handsome, smart, down to earth. He was the all-American high school boy. The son any father would be proud to call his own. He wondered if his birth father would be proud of him.

He often wondered what his life would be like if his father hadn't abandoned him as a helpless baby. He liked to think that it would be similar, that his father would be like his adoptive dad. He could tell his dad anything. His mother was a saint, willing to go to the moon for her baby even though the most he ever asked for was her waffles. But deep down, Charlie knew his life would be completely different because he wouldn't have a mother for whatever reason and his father apparently cared so little for him that he could leave his son just a few days after being born. Charlie may be young, but he was pretty sure that being born was pretty traumatic for a kid.

So, after play rehearsal, he walked the three blocks home with his iPod blaring. His eyes immediately went to the black car sitting in his driveway and he felt his stomach flutter. With all the excitement of asking Corinna to his party and school and play rehearsal, he had nearly forgotten that his birth father had come to see him. Nearly.

Not ready to go in quite yet, he took his ear buds out and sat under the window on the porch so that if his parents looked out, they wouldn't see him. He could hear the voices inside even though he couldn't quite make out any words. His mother's laugh, his father smooth baritone voice, and a third, unfamiliar voice. Not entirely cold, but lacking the warmth his dad's voice contained. He wondered if his birth father had ever married, he had always assumed that his parents weren't together for whatever reason and he knew that his birth mother was dead. Charlie pulled out his phone and checked the time. 6:15. His parents would worry if he didn't go in soon.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

Sighing, Charlie stood and went into the house. He walked into the living room where his parents were sitting with a man Charlie had only seen once before when he was six. His parents didn't know about that though. His mother crossed the room and hugged him. "Charlie! You're home. Come in here and sit down, sweetie."

Charlie sat down between his dad and his mom, across from the stranger. The stranger looked at him curiously and nodded a hello. Charlie smiled nervously. "Hi." Charlie looked around the room nervously, not willing to look the man in the face.

"I had better go check on dinner. Tommy, come help me?" Charlie's mother looked at her husband expectantly.

"Of course, dear. We'll call you when it's ready." He squeezed Charlie's shoulder as he stood and gave him an encouraging smile.

The stranger continued to study Charlie intently. Charlie continued to look around the room nervously, before looking at a spot just above his head. "What's your name?"

"I'm Bart Bass." Charlie nodded. He was out of questions. Sure, there were things he wanted to know but he knew anything he asked would probably have a long answer. Probably not a good one, but still long.

"Your parents were telling me about the play you're working on. Sounds interesting." Charlie shrugged. "You're not the least bit interested in talking to me? Should I leave?" Charlie thought he almost sounded hurt.

"This was kinda sprung on me this morning so I haven't really been able to digest the fact that you're here." Charlie's phone beeped. He pulled it out, ignoring Bart's sigh, and responded to the text with a smile. Corinna. She had been texting him all day since third period. He put his phone back after silencing it. "Sorry. Friend of mine keeps texting me."

Bart nodded. "My stepchildren do the same thing. I understand."

"So you're married? Have any other kids?"

"Yes, I am married. Just the two stepchildren but I believe my wife would like another child."

"How long have you been married?"

"Only a few months, but we've been together for over eight years on and off." Charlie nodded, not knowing what else to do. He slumped back further into the couch.

"This is incredibly awkward for me."

"Yes, I think I can relate."

"So, why are you here? I thought this kind of thing didn't happen until after I turn eighteen and private investigators and all that crap. At least that's how it is on television."

Bart smiled genuinely. His son was delightfully naive about quite a few things. He had thought the Baileys had spoken to him about the adoption, but maybe they had left out a few important details. "Well, it was agreed at the time of your adoption that I could come and see you when you were old enough to understand everything." Charlie nodded. "And, I think that at sixteen you should be more than old enough to understand all that I have to tell you. Hopefully you won't hate me too terribly for it."

Charlie stood and wandered around the room a moment then turned to Bart. "Do you want to see my room?"

"Yes, I'd like that. Your parents thought you should be here to show it to me if you wanted."

"Yeah, they're good about respecting my privacy. Okay, come on. I'll show you." Bart followed Charlie up to his bedroom. The door was bare of anything except for an old faded t-shirt thumb tacked to the front. "That's from leadership camp in eighth grade. The shirt doesn't fit anymore so I made it a decoration."

"Leadership camp?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah, I've been class president since eighth grade. Lame, I know, but I think it's gotten to the point where people expect me to do stuff like that. Oh, and this," he pointed to a collage on his wall "is a bunch of pictures of me and my friends at that camp and at lacrosse camp and that science camp Dad made me go to a few years ago. I've got all kinds of pictures. You can have some if you want. I have stacks and stacks of them. And a couple albums somewhere. I think Mom knows where they are." He leaned in and quietly added, "She cleans my room when I'm not home for a few days so I don't know what she's done with some of my stuff."

Bart laughed softly. Charlie seemed happy. Bart knew his son wouldn't have been this happy if he had stayed with him. "I would like that." He of course had pictures that the Baileys had sent to him over the years but this was more special because his son was offering them to him. "So, any girls in your life?"

Charlie laughed and sat on his bed. "A few. But, only one that I actually really like."

"Really? What's special about her?"

"Everything. The way she talks, her smile, her laugh. The way she copies my homework even though I know she has it done and it's probably better than mine. I'm a lot more perceptive than people give me credit for. They see a jock and think I don't know anything." Charlie said shaking his head.

Bart looked at his son, thinking he may continue. When he didn't, Bart looked around the bedroom. The window overlooked the backyard and he could see the sun setting in the west. The desk was perfectly organized, pens and pencils were separated, papers stacked neatly.

They heard a knock on the door. "Hey guys, dinner's about ready if you want to head down."

"Okay, thanks, Mom. We'll be down in a few minutes." Charlie's mom left the room. Bart looked at Charlie and sighed.

"You're happy right?"

"Yes, I really am. If you want to wash up or anything the bathroom's at the end of the hall." Bart nodded and left the room to clean up for dinner.

Charlie looked out his window at the waning sun. He wondered how dinner would be but he didn't linger on it. He would find out soon enough.

He went out into the hallway to wait for Bart so that he wouldn't be lost when on the way to the dining room. He came out and they walked downstairs to join Charlie's parents.

They walked into the dining room and Charlie pointed the chair across from his and Bart sat down. Thomas and Emily came in and joined them. "The food looks great, Mom." Emily smiled at her son.

"Thank you son. But I think you're going to like dessert more." Charlie grinned and happily ate his dinner and told his parents about his day.

"You finally asked her out, huh?" Charlie nodded. "To your party?" Another nod. "It's about time. That's great, sport."

"Oh, my baby's going on a date. I must be getting old." His mother winked at him and Charlie rolled his eyes. His parents were so dramatic sometimes.

"You know, you are making it seem like I've never been out with a girl before. I have had dates before."

"Yes, but not with Corinna. You've only liked this girl for ten years." Charlie blushed. He hadn't told Bart that, not that it should really matter, but it was embarrassing.

"Mom, can we please be done talking about this?"

"Yes, you're embarrassing the poor boy, Em."

"Oh, you know me. I just get emotional sometimes."

"Yeah, it's totally fine. Changing the subject. It's my birthday, so that means presents. When do I get presents?"

Charlie's parents smiled at each other. "Calm down. You act like you just turned six not sixteen. After dessert." Charlie accepted that and continued eating.

Charlie looked across the table at Bart who hadn't said a word since his parents entered the room. "How long are you staying in town, Mr. Bass?" Bart looked at Charlie. He hadn't even considered staying longer than this evening. He was surprised that the meeting hadn't yet taken an explosive turn. The Bass jet was being refueled at the nearest airport at that very moment.

"I'm going back to New York tonight." Charlie almost looked disappointed but quickly recovered, but not quickly enough for the adults at the table to miss.

"Oh, okay. I was just wondering because I was going to see if you wanted to come to my game tomorrow." Charlie finished his dinner and asked to be excused.

"What about cake? And your presents?" His mother was always worried when her son didn't want cake. He loved desserts of any kind, especially cake and ice cream. And to refuse gifts was just unheard of.

"Can we do it in a little bit? I kinda want to be alone for a few minutes." His parents nodded, worriedly. Bart was almost oblivious to the drama, but he knew something was amiss. What teenager would favor being alone instead of receiving presents? He had been excited a few minutes before, but now seemed apathetic, much like that Archibald boy his stepdaughter snuck around with when his girlfriend wasn't around.

Bart stood up from the table. "If you would excuse me, I have a phone call to make." Without waiting for a reply, he went into the living room and called his wife. "Lily, hello, darling. How are you and the kids?"

"Bart! We're all fine. How was your trip to France? Productive?"

"Oh yes, very. I'll be home late tonight but I had to make a stop in Connecticut to see Charles."

"Really? You didn't tell me about that."

"Yes, I know and I will tell you all about it in the morning. But right now I was wondering if you would have any objections to my asking his parents if he could come spend a few weeks with us over the summer. Maybe take him to the Hamptons or to Europe." Lily didn't answer immediately. "Lily?"

"Well, darling, he's your son. If you want to ask, go ahead. I won't stop you." Bart knew there was more to it, but did not press the issue.

"Thank you dear. Don't wait up for me. I'm not sure how late I'll be."

"I will see you in the morning then. I love you."

"I love you, too, Lily." He ended the call and went back to the dining room. Thomas was clearing the table and Emily was just sitting at the table looking through a day planner.

"He seems attached to you already." Emily looked at Bart questioningly. "You must have made an impression on him. He doesn't normally invite people to watch him play."

Bart was surprised. In eight years he had never connected with his stepchildren this way. He had tried, but he had never succeeded. "You should go find him, and see if he wants his cake now. We should do it before it gets too late." Thomas looked at Bart expectantly."I think I heard him go out to the back. He's not far." Bart nodded.

Bart went to the back porch, completely at a loss for what to do. He was never any good at consoling children. Well, his only experience was his half-brother Jack. When Jack's parents died, Bart had inherited the little brat. Well, 'little' was misleading, Jack had been fifteen, but even at age 35, Jack still had the emotional range of a two year old.

"Charlie?" Bart didn't exactly know where to look, and it was nearly dark in the back yard except for the light from the back street.

Bart could make out the outline of his son sitting on a swing on a swing set that looked like it was ready to fall over. "I'm over here, Mr. Bass."

"Your parents wanted to know if you were ready to come back in. It's getting late."

"We should talk before you leave. I mean, I thought I'd have more time, but you're leaving in a little while."

Bart nodded. "We can talk. I'm in no rush but I would like to get back home by tomorrow. I've been away for a while."

"Okay after cake we'll talk. Then you can leave if you want."

They went back into the house and had the cake and ice cream. Charlie opened his presents and thanked his parents. He hadn't been expecting anything major but his parents surprised him with a car. Nothing fancy, but he was absolutely shocked. They hadn't even hinted that they were thinking about getting him a car.

After a quick test drive around the block, Bart and Charlie went back upstairs to Charlie's bedroom and Charlie shut the door to give them more privacy even though he was sure his parents were staying downstairs. They looked at each other awkwardly, neither knowing where to start. Bart felt his stomach drop when he saw Charlie rub his neck nervously. Lily had teased him mercilessly for years about that particular nervous habit, so much that he had to train himself not to do it.

"So, you obviously weren't some teenager who knocked up his girlfriend. What happened?" Charlie was tired of the awkward silence and he still hadn't learned to be subtle. He had many talents, but subtlety wasn't one of them.

Bart was slightly taken aback by the bluntness of the question but he was determined to answer as honestly as he could. "This is hard for me to discuss so bear with me a moment." Charlie nodded as he could understand that. Bart looked out into the blackness of the night. After a moment Bart started. "I was married to your mother for three years and she all wanted was one thing: a child. We tried for over a year and very nearly gave up, but then she called me when I was away and told me that she was pregnant. I cannot tell you how happy that made me. The only thing I wanted at that point in my life was to make my family happy. My beautiful wife and my unborn child."

Bart turned to Charlie to gauge his reaction. Charlie was staring at the floor, unmoving. "She died in childbirth and I fell apart. I wasn't raised by the most pleasant of people. My parents both worked all the time and even then we still had next to nothing. My mother died when I was seven and my stepfather nearly ignored me. Eventually I went to live with my father in Brooklyn but things weren't much better there. He had a wife who didn't do anything for me, and he never even looked at me. I knew that if I had Misty with me, I could have raised you and everything would be perfect, but I couldn't imagine raising you alone. I wanted you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted is your happiness. From the moment my wife, your mother, told me she was going to have you."

"So, you just wanted me to be happy. How did you know I would be happy with the people who adopted me? They could have turned out to be cult leaders or serial killers."

Bart smiled softly. "Even in my distress I knew I had to be sure about the people I let adopt you. They know about this so I have no problem telling you. I had an investigator looking into every aspect of their lives, their backgrounds, family history, everything. I told him to leave no stone unturned. I made certain that you would have the life your mother wanted you to have. Can you understand that?"

"Yes, I think so. So, is this what you expected? Am I what you expected?"

Bart smiled and sat down on his bed. "It looks like you have a nice life. Your parents care about you, you have good friends, you don't seem to be a drug addict." Charlie smiled and shook his head. Bart didn't need to know that he smoked weed with his friends on the weekends. "I know I already asked this, but you are happy, right?"

Charlie smiled. "Yes, Mr. Bass. I'm very happy. I couldn't be happier."

Bart and Charlie talked for about another hour, mostly about Corinna and lacrosse. Bart knew he had done the right thing by giving his son away but he wished he hadn't. His son was a fine young man.

Once Charlie went to sleep, Bart went downstairs to talk to his parents. They were in the living room. The television was on but it seemed as if neither was paying much attention to it. Thomas saw Bart standing in the doorway. "Bart. Did it go well?"

Bart entered the living room and sat on the sofa. "Yes, it did. Thank you for letting us talk. He is a wonderful boy." Emily smiled. "I was hoping to ask a favor that may seem out of line, but I would really appreciate it if you would consider it."

"Go ahead."

"Well, I would live it if Charlie could come down and spend a few weeks this summer with me and my family in New York. It's entirely up to you but it would mean a lot to me."

Emily shook her head. "He has too many things to do this summer. Soccer camp and lacrosse camp. Leadership camp. There is just no way. He'll barely be home as it is."

Bart nodded. He had expected that but he had to try. "That's fine. I completely understand. I should be leaving. Thank you again for everything." Bart showed himself out. He had called for his driver a few minutes ago and he had heard the car pull up. The plane was being fired up and should be ready to take off by the time he arrived at the airport.

CBCBCBCB


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

New York City

The next day

Serena Bass strutted down the halls of Constance Billard. Her best friend beside her along with their minions. It was almost the end of their sophomore year and they couldn't be happier, even if things were a bit boring at the moment. "So, you are coming over tonight, right? Bart's home and I really don't think I can handle him without my BFF." Serena loved Blair just like a sister, even if she had been screwing Blair's boyfriend for several months. Blair was completely oblivious.

"Of course, I'm coming over. I wouldn't miss a chance to see you before you go away for the summer, leaving me to my mother's tender mercies before I can finally go see Daddy in France." Blair rolled her eyes and shook her head. Serena knew all about her family issues and Blair knew about Serena's. Serena hated her stepfather and was pretty sure that Bart had no real fatherly feelings for her (or any emotion whatsoever). Serena pretended it didn't bother her and Blair was content to allow her to keep up the happy family charade. Just like Serena ignored the fact that sometimes after lunch Blair went into the girls' room and kicked everyone out for ten minutes.

"Great! So dinner and Tiffany's?" Blair nodded, smiling. Their lives were almost boring but it was safe. And safe is what Serena and Blair wanted most for their lives. They were both sick of all the shake ups their families had endured the past few months and were so happy to be able to leave the city for the summer. Even if they wouldn't see each other for two months.

They walked outside to the courtyard where they could mingle with the St. Jude's boys. Lunchtime was Blair's favorite part of the day because she could see her boyfriend and have her best friend by her side. Conversely, lunch was Serena's least favorite part of the day because she had to watch Blair and Nate act like the perfect couple when she knew it was an act. Nate had no real feelings for Blair and Serena knew it. He only stayed with her because it made his parents happy. And Nate was a bit of a loner, so he didn't have many friends except for that Humphrey kid, but Serena could never remember his first name. Nate was happy to keep Blair by his side so that he wouldn't be completely alone.

After school, Serena rode home in Bart's limo with her best friend and they talked happily about boys and Gossip Girl. There was always some ridiculous rumor posted on that site about them or their friends and it was a kick to stay up on everything.

They rode up the elevator to the Bass penthouse where Serena had lived for two years. Bart and her mother had gotten married a few months before but they had lived together here since he proposed. Serena and Eric, her little brother, had never really taken to Bart but Lily Bass loved her husband and he was never overly harsh to the children and he kept a close watch on them.

One they stepped off the elevator, Serena and Blair could immediately hear Lily and Bart discussing his trip. They tried to avoid talking to them but her mother saw her and they had to say hello.

"Hi, Mom. Bart, welcome home." She smiled and he rose and gave her an awkward hug. They had never been a touchy-feely family, so this action had taken her by surprise.

"Hello, Serena. Blair, will you be joining us for dinner?"

"If it's all right with you and Mrs. Bass of course. I'd love to." Blair put on her nicest smile. She wasn't overly comfortable around Bart, but then, no one really was. But Blair knew how to behave around people as important as Bart Bass and her mother would kill her if she embarrassed herself in front of him.

"Your father was just telling me about his trip." Serena rolled her eyes. She hated when her mother called Bart that. Sure, he had adopted her and Eric when they got married but that didn't make him her father. Bart would never replace her real father.

"Well, we're glad to have you back, Bart. Blair and I are going up to my room now. Excuse us." She grabbed Blair's hand and dragged her upstairs before they could protest. "God, I hate them sometimes." Serena groaned into her pillow after throwing herself onto her bed.

"Yeah, I know, S." Blair said sympathetically, as she played with Serena's hair the way that always calmed her.

Life was quiet in the Bass household until a week later when Bart received a phone call as he and Lily spent a quiet evening at home.

"It's Charlie. I should take this. I told him he could call me whenever he wanted." Lily smiled and motioned for him to answer. "Hello?"

"Hi, Bart. It's Charlie. Um, so uh, there's been an accident..."

"What kind of accident?" Lily looked over at her husband, concerned.

"Well, my parents were driving and this car crossed the center line and hit them head on. They didn't make it..." Charlie's voice trailed off. Bart could hear his son sniffling softly.

"Well, is there anything I can do for you?" Charlie didn't immediately reply, but Bart could hear him trying to control his breathing. "Charles, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here. You see, the thing is, my parents had it in their will that if anything should happen to them that you would take custody of me..." Bart didn't know what to say. He hadn't been aware of that.

"Well, Charlie, if that's what you want, of course, we'd be happy to have you come live with us." Lily's eyes widened as she heard her husband say this. He looked at her and seemed like he was just as surprised at the words he said.

"Well, I don't really have anyone else. Not that I wouldn't want to come live with you, it's just I have a life here. I mean, you saw it. I have friends and school and everything. I don't want to have to start over." Bart understood, but he also knew that the boy's supposed grandparents would be of no help to Charles. The only other alternative was perhaps a family friend but there had to be a reason the Baileys had changed their will to include him. He had had to pay his source a hefty bonus for a copy of the will but that had been two years ago. When had it been changed?

"I think it's for the best, Charlie. It's what your parents wanted. And if their families don't protest, we should seriously consider this." Of course, Bart wanted his son with him. He was now in a much better place in his life that he could care for his son the way he needed.

"I know you were just here, but can you come back? I'm staying with my best friend but they're smothering me with affection and cookies. Like cookies and hugs are going to make me feel better. I just don't want to be on my own right now."

Bart nodded. "I can rearrange some things and be there by tomorrow evening. Is that soon enough?"

"Yeah, that's great actually. How long can you stay? I want to at least finish the school year. It's just a few more days, but I don't want you to get in trouble at work or anything." Bart chuckled softly.

"That will never be a problem, son. I will be there for as long as you need me."

"Thanks. You really don't know what this means to me."

"It's fine, really. Are you all right? Can I do anything for you before I come up?"

"Yeah, I think I'm just in shock. But just get here as soon as you can. And I really appreciate it, Bart."

Bart smiled. "Anything for you, son. You should get some rest. You sound exhausted."

Charlie sighed. "Yeah, I'm pretty beat. I'll be going to bed now. Thanks again, Bart. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Charles." Bart ended the call and turned to his wife. She looked angry. "Lily, please don't fight me on this."

"How can you agree to leave for an indeterminate amount of time and also say that this boy is welcome to come live with us? Serena and Eric don't even know about him!"

"And whose fault is that? I wanted to let them know everything but you thought it was a bad idea. That it would only hurt them or confuse them. Not that it matters because apparently I connected more with Charles in two hours than I have with either of your children in eight years."

"Maybe you should make yourself more emotionally available to them. They both need the love of a father and only you can give that to them." They both know it wasn't true. He had tried for six years to connect with those kids, especially after they became engaged, but they both had resisted him.

"Charles just lost the two people in the world who cared about him most. He needs me to step up and be the man I should have been sixteen years ago. He doesn't have anybody else. The rest of his so-called family never treated him as one of their own. The only family member he likes is his 19 year old cousin who is finishing his first year of college. Lily, I'm all he has right now. Can you try to understand that? Please?"

Lily nodded, not really convinced and still not happy. There used to be a time when she could frown and Bart would cater to her every whim. Bart smiled and kissed her forehead, announcing that he had an early day tomorrow and needed to go to bed.

Early the next morning, Bart packed his bags and talked quietly on the phone to his assistant about the next few days. His wife stirred in her sleep. Ending the call, Bart sat on the bed and touched her cheek. "I'm leaving soon and when I return, I will have Charles with me. I would appreciate it if you and the kids welcomed him into the family. He's hurt and alone and he's going to feel lost. He will need the support of his family."

"I can't promise that Serena and Eric will be on board but I will make Charles feel at home." Lily gave Bart her best smile. He nodded, kissing her and called for his valet to take his bags down to the car.

"I will call you soon. I love you, Lily. Tell the kids goodbye for me." Lily nodded. Bart left and Lily slumped back into the bed. She wasn't looking forward to having another teenager in the house but the boy did need a home. And Bart was his father, after all.

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four

One week later

Charlie fought back tears as he walked around the nearly empty house where he had spent the last sixteen years. Many things had been packed away by strangers, people Bart had brought in to handle the manual labor. Friends had come to collect small treasures as reminders of their lost friends. Furniture and clothing had been donated. Only a few larger items remained at this point and they too would be gone soon. Many of Charlie's belongings had been sent ahead to New York and he thought he had heard Bart ask him something about how he wanted his things arranged in his new bedroom but Charlie didn't really care at this point. He wanted to close this dismal chapter of his life and move on.

He wiped away the single tear that had betrayed him and followed Bart quietly into the limo. Bart apparently had phone calls to return while they were driving, so for the two hour long drive, Charlie sat in his seat staring at the window. He listened to Bart’s side of the conversations for a while, something about acquiring a hotel in Paris and the current owner rejecting his offer. Charlie had watched Bart over the last few days and wondered a few times if he could ever take charge like that. Just silence someone with a withering look and watch them scurry around to do his bidding. 

That's why he had doubts. Doubts that this was such a terrible idea, he barely knew the man sitting next to him. He had never met his father's wife or her children so who knew if they would be bearable? He had never been to New York City before, so he didn't know that he would like it, but he did know that he would miss his hometown and his friends terribly. He didn't know if he would make new friends, and he definitely didn't want people to be friends with him because of his name or the money.

He had realized a few hours after Bart had arrived six days ago that Bart was not some average business man. No, Charlie realized from the assistant that followed him around like a puppy tapping away at his BlackBerry taking down every word Bart said to him that Bart was apparently pretty important. So, Charlie had left whatever was happening downstairs and went to his bedroom to figure out who the hell Bart Bass actually was. He honestly didn't know why he hadn't done it before. He had found several articles online in Forbes, a couple in the Wall Street Journal, and one in Vanity Fair about his recent wedding. There were a lot of pictures and it said the wedding itself cost over a million dollars. Which isn't surprising because Bass Industries was apparently worth billions of dollars according to the latest Forbes article. He was even on the cover of that edition. 

All these questions were too much for him to think about, so he attempted to drown them out by listening to the most random crap he could find. Before they embarked their trip, he had sat at home for the last time downloading songs and adding them to his iPod. He had done this for roughly four hours. Then Bart had come in to tell him that it was time to leave his former life behind. 

Before he knew it, the car stopped and Bart was looking at him expectantly. He gathered his things and followed Bart out of the limo. He thanked the man holding the door and he looked rather surprised. Charlie didn't know that Bart's driver wasn't normally acknowledged. Charlie had been surprised when he learned that Bart owned not only the building where they lived, but also some of the finest hotels in the world.

Charlie obediently followed Bart to the elevator and rode the forty floors to the very top of the building. "I hope you aren't afraid of heights." Bart thought he was making a joke but Charlie had been slightly terrified of heights ever since he fell out of a tree when he was six. But Charlie simply smiled and let it pass. If he had windows in his room he would simply keep the curtains closed.

They exited the elevator to find a woman with blonde hair waiting for them. She smiled at Bart and kissed him. "Hello, dear." Charlie guessed it was his wife.

"Lily. It's good to be home. This is my son, Charles. Charles, this is my wife, Lily." They looked at each other, neither much impressed, but shook hands and smiled politely at one another.

"It's wonderful to have you here. My children should be back soon, they just went for a walk."

"A walk? It's ninety degrees out there."

Lily nodded and rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know, but they insisted they wanted to go out for while. Well, let's get you settled in, shall we?" She turned back to Charlie who stood there dumbly before nodding.

A man whom Charlie presumed to be a servant of some kind almost forced his bags away from him and followed them upstairs and to his bedroom. Bart had called ahead to make sure it was ready but he had no idea if Charlie would want to do anything to it.

The bag stealer set his things on the floor upon entering the room and with a glare from Lily was dismissed. Charlie glared at her but Lily didn't seem to notice or maybe she just didn't care. The room was nice enough, but Charlie didn't really care what it looked like as long as he had a comfortable bed and somewhere to hide his weed. Bart and Lily left him alone to settle in and he started to unpack. 

As he had promised, Charlie called Corinna the first chance he had. They had had a great time at his party which seemed like a lifetime ago, when in reality it had been two weeks. But two days later, Charlie's world was turned upside down and now he was in New York, a hundred miles from everyone he knows or cares about. He had told her he was leaving the day he found out. She was upset but she said they had a few pretty awesome days and they would always be friends.

"Hey, Corinna."

"About time you called me. Did you make it there ok? Is it totally awesome?”

"Yeah, I'm here. We drove here from Connecticut in a freaking limo. And you should see this building. We're in a penthouse on the top floor. I'm afraid to look out the window we're so high up.”

"Wow. So, a penthouse, huh? That's wild.”

"Uh, yeah. Right off, this guy takes my stuff and brings it up to my room. Then Bart's wife glares at him and he just leaves. I just hope they get paid well if she's gonna treat them like that."

"Wow, so you have servants and everything? That's crazy.”

"Yeah, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."

“what's the wife like?”

“I don't know... She seems like she's trying too hard. I've only been here for an hour. They've left me pretty much alone. Dinner is in a while, so I guess I'll meet her kids then.”

"Are you doing okay, Charlie?"

"Not really. I'm scared."

"Yeah, I know. But remember, you can call me no matter what. Unless I'm at school, we can talk. I always have time for you." Charlie smiled. She was too good to him. He really wished he was with her now. They had wasted so much time being shy and now all he wanted was to hold her hand and have her tell him it would be okay.

"Yeah, thanks, Corrina. You are the best."

"Yeah, I know." Charlie laughed for the first time that day.

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Serena and Eric were as close as two siblings could be. They always had been. They knew each other's dirty secrets and they knew each other better than anyone. Eric had always thought Serena was a bit mean to Bart. He had never done anything that Eric knew about to her except maybe take some of their mother's attention from her. Eric considered that a bonus. He may not be the warmest of people but Eric, at the age of thirteen, knew that Bart was much more stable than the other clowns their mother had dated or married throughout their lives, their own father included.

Their mother had sat them down a few days ago to tell them about Bart's son, who was apparently coming to live in their house. Eric didn't really care but Serena threw a Serena fit and left the house in search of her best friend Blair. She hadn't returned home until that morning. Eric could tell that his mother also wasn't entirely thrilled about having Bart's long lost son come into their quiet, comfortable home.

He knew it was only because she might not be able to manipulate Bart as she had in the past although Eric couldn't see why having another person in the house would matter. Maybe it was Just a signal that the power dynamic in their relationship was changing after all this time.

Eric and Serena loved to take walks in the park when their lives were getting them down, so Serena decided to drag her little brother to the park, away from the madness, just to escape for a few more hours.

They had promised to return to the penthouse for dinner, so they made their way back home, neither talking as they rode the elevator. There was nothing left to be said, nothing left to speculate. It was time to see Bart's spawn and see what fresh hell awaited them all.

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Charlie sat on his new bed taking in his new surroundings when he heard footsteps in the hallway. He paid it no mind until he heard a knock at his door. He opened the door to find a beautiful brown haired girl standing on the other side. "So, I heard there was a new Bass in town. I'm Blair Waldorf." She smiled at Charlie and extended her hand which he shook gently.

"Nice to meet you, Blair. I'm Charlie." He didn't bother correcting her about the last name since he had overheard Bart talking to some lawyer about changing his last name to Bass. "Can I ask what you're doing here?"

Blair smiled at the simple boy in front of her. "Well, I came by to see my friend Serena. We're best friends, you know." Charlie didn't know and he couldn't help but to think about how he didn't really care. "And she doesn't seem to be here. You don't know where she is by any chance, do you?" Charlie shook his head. "Too bad. Do you mind?" Blair let herself into Charlie's room. She looked around approvingly. "Nice. Lily has always had excellent taste when it comes to decorating."

"I wouldn't know." Charlie watched the girl. He had no idea what she wanted but he certainly couldn't tell her to leave. He couldn't tell his new stepsister's supposed best friend to get lost even if she was in his room uninvited. He wasn't sure if he should be frightened or amazed by her.

"I don't really like the name Charlie. It isn't fit for a Bass. I think we should call you Charles."

No, now he was just offended, it was bad enough Bart called him that most of the time. "Excuse me? I've gone by Charlie my whole life, so I don't appreciate some snob telling me she doesn't like my name. If you don't like my name then you don't have to deal with me because I don't think I want to be around someone that vapid."

Blair rolled her eyes, not paying any attention. Instead she proceeded to look through his closet. "That’s cute. Also, you need to dress better. You call these clothes? I call them rags. Throw them out. I'm sure Bart will give you some money to go shopping for better clothing. I'm coming with you to make sure you're properly attired. No need to thank me."

Charlie pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. This girl was nuts. "Get out."

"What did you say?" Blair glared at Charlie. She wouldn't stand for some orphan saying things like that to her. She was Blair fucking Waldorf. No one talked to her that way.

"You heard me, princess. Get the hell out of here. I don't need you telling me how to live my life, so get the hell out. I didn't ask for your help. I don't want it." She didn't move. In fact, she stood her ground and glared at him for several minutes until Lily walked in to call Charlie for dinner.

"Blair! This is a surprise. Will you be staying for dinner? You know you are always welcome here and Serena should be back any minute." Lily smiled warmly at Blair who smiled sweetly right back.

"Yes, Lily, I would love to. I was just getting acquainted with your darling stepson, Charles. It's been lovely speaking with you, Charles. I'm sure we'll be great friends." She smiled sweetly at him and followed Lily out the door. Charlie had a sudden desire to vomit, but dutifully followed the two women downstairs for dinner.

Dinner was like nothing Charlie had ever experienced. He finally met Serena and Erik. Erik seemed nice but Serena acted too much like her mother. She spent the whole time talking happily to Blair about some party that was coming up. Erik actually tried to get him to talk, asking him about his interests like sports and music. Bart was quiet the whole time, barely paying any attention to the conversations going on in front of him. Lily was quiet as well but she was listening more actively.

Charlie wasn't really paying attention to Blair and Serena until Blair started talking about Charlie. Bart almost noticeably looked up at this. "Charles and I are going clothes shopping together. The so-called clothing he has is just not acceptable. Certainly not suitable for a Bass." She looked at Charlie pointedly, who rolled his eyes. Lily nodded approvingly at Blair and Serena squealed.

"Oh, I wanna come!"

"Of course you're coming, S! Oh, and we can bring Nate too! Honestly, his mother still buys all of his clothes." Blair laughed happily and they began mapping out the plan of attack. Helpless, Charlie looked at Erik who shrugged. They were both at a loss for words.

Erik leaned in and said to Charlie quietly, "If you want I can come and run interference. I know they're a bit much sometimes."

Charlie nodded. "Thanks, you might have to."

"And you might want to learn the art of manipulation while you're getting a new wardrobe with Blair... You'll need that particular skill if you're going to survive." Charlie nodded. That might not be a bad idea.

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	6. Chapter 6

What does Lily Bass do when her husband is at work and her children are out? She day drinks. She drinks gin, she drinks vodka, she drinks her husband's disgusting scotch. She doesn't really care as long as she gets a good buzz.

She's not unhappy with her life, she's just bored. Her husband is busy with his career, her children are older and don't need her as much. She serves on her committees, goes to condo board meetings, goes to brunch with friends. She wanted to get back into photography but she's been out of the field for so long. But it would be something to do even if it were just a hobby.

Lily wasn't thrilled about the newest addition to the family. Bart told her about his son a few years ago. He hadn't been himself in days and she finally confronted him about it after he made Eric cry. He might not be the warmest of father figures but he had never done anything to make Eric or Serena hurt like that. She can't even remember what exactly he did, probably said something about his toys being on the floor. Bart was usually so indulgent with the kids and would just have the maid or the nanny pick up whatever mess there was. It was just so out of character for him to even show any kind of genuine emotion at all. She knew something had to have been really bothering him. 

She was taken aback when Bart went to see him on his birthday. He had been gone for a few weeks already and she was anxious for his return. It was their anniversary after all. but he made it up to her with gifts and affection (as much as he gives). Eric was happy to have him home, he was a good father to Eric. Mostly. Eric didn't even remember his own father, William. Serena only remembers going for ice cream with him. She misses the idea of him more than anything. William certainly has not reached out to them recently and did not contest the adoption petition a few months ago. 

But Bart was different when he came home from that trip. He looked lighter somehow, like he wasn't so bogged down by life. Eric even mentioned how downright chipper Bart was after he had retired to his home office.

Today the children are out clothes shopping with their friends. She felt like she should have accompanied them, but Bart always said that they didn't need constant supervision. Tough talk from someone that has undercover security following the whole family.

Lily is fairly certain he has sources in the schools reporting on the kids and their friends. They had discussed (argued about) this issue multiple times. The files were in his safe with all the private details of their lives. He claims it is to prevent any kind of scandal that would ruin the family or the company. Maybe he just likes having blackmail material on her and the kids. He certainly didn't hesitate to hold her illegitimate child over her head to keep her out of Brooklyn. She missed Rufus but she knew he would never forgive her for not telling him about the child. That's why she stayed in her penthouse with her husband and their children. Bart does not judge her for it obviously but Rufus would. 

She contemplates all these things while she day drinks. The new boy in her household, he looks so sad and lost. Well, of course, he is sad. His parents are dead. Well, the only parents he's ever known. Bart said they were great parents, very attentive to their only child, but not overbearing. They somehow found a good balance between being involved but not hovering. She hasn't found that balance yet.

She heard a commotion downstairs then clearly heard Serena's voice yelling to Eric about something. Lily finished her drink and looked at her reflection in her pocket mirror to make sure she looked presentable. It was time to put the alcohol away for a bit anyway. She didn't want to be tipsy when Bart came home. He would just frown and shake his head disapprovingly at her day drinking. She usually cut herself off at 3 so she can sober up in the event that he comes home for dinner or they have somewhere to go.

At least Lily was not too tipsy right now, she had had a meeting earlier that day and had only had time for one drink. Barely even enough to take the edge off.

She wandered down the hall to Eric's bedroom. The door was open but she didn't see him in there so she moved on to Serena's room. She saw Serena and Blair passing Eric's phone back and forth giggling while Eric tried to get it from them. She shook her head and sighed. She couldn't handle that right now. 

She continued down the hall until she reached the last bedroom before she would reach the stairs. Charles’ room. She wondered if she should go in and talk to him. She did say she would make him feel at home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Charlie was completely overwhelmed by the time Blair finally released him to go home. He had a lot of clothes that he couldn't imagine ever wearing and felt really guilty about spending so much money on a bow tie he was convinced made him look like Pee Wee Herman.

Serena kept telling him Bart wouldn't care, he never says anything about how much she spends. Eric just rolled his eyes at her antics but reassured Charlie that Bart really wouldn't say anything, if he even noticed at all.

He didn't quite know what to do with his new things and Lily could tell he was stressing about what to do as she walked by his open bedroom door.

"Well, I see the shopping trip was successful! Did you enjoy yourself, Charles?" Charlie turned to look at his new stepmother. It was weird to think of someone else other than his mom as a maternal figure. Although, in his opinion, she didn't seem that maternal even if he had only known her for a few days.

He smiled politely at her. "I suppose. I didn't mean to get so much. Blair was pretty insistent about some of this stuff."

Lily nodded knowingly. She knew how Blair could be. "Don't worry about Blair. I've known her for years. She's always like that. You'll learn to say no to her. Or you won't and you'll end up marrying her." Lily laughed at her own joke but Charlie couldn't help but feel sick at that thought. Could he love someone like Blair? He wasn't sure. Two weeks ago everything had been so simple, now his new stepmother was trying to marry him off to some would be Upper East Side princess.

He smiled weakly at her, "You don't think Bart will be mad about me getting all this, do you?"

Lily reached out and touched his shoulder causing him to look her in the eyes for the first time since meeting her. "Oh, sweetheart, he won't say a word. You'll learn something about Bart Bass: he's a tough at work, but at home, he'd give his family anything. I think he'll be thrilled that you had a good time today with your new friends."

Charlie wouldn't go so far as to call them all friends but he didn't contradict her. He did have a good time, he supposed. Nate wasn't so bad even if he knew that Serena was acting weird around him from the moment they met him and Blair at Blair's penthouse. He wondered what that was about.

"Well, your father should be home soon, we're going to have a family dinner tonight. Go get cleaned up and come down. I'll have Bart's valet take care of these things for you." Lily turned to leave the bedroom.

"That's okay, I can do it, Lily."

Lily stopped at the door and turned around, "Of course, you can, dear, but you don't have to. Dinner is at 6:30. Don't be late." She walked out to make sure dinner was nearly ready, Bart would be expecting dinner at 6:30 then he had a call to make. She hated that he would be working so late but that was business and really nothing new to this family. She was surprised he was making this much of an effort for the boy and wondered how long Bart would continue this new trend of actually coming home for dinner. Well, she would play along like the dutiful wife she was for as long as required.

Charlie sat for a moment after Lily left the room, thinking about what Lily had just said to him. What kind of world is this that she can just tell someone to do something and they just do it? Did he have that ability now? He didn't know if he could fathom barking an order at someone and expecting complete obedience.

As instructed, Charlie went to his en suite (his own bathroom, really?) and took a quick shower. The girls had nearly driven him crazy this afternoon but they did mean well. Luckily, Nate and Eric were able to pull him away a few times when the girls got distracted by new dresses at Bendels or sexy new jeans. Blair really did look beautiful in everything she tried on. Wait, where did that thought come from? She was a nuisance, a menace, completely unbearable.

But her laugh was infectious and adorable. Her eyes sparkle. Oh, damn, was he actually falling for this girl? She didn't even listen to him about anything, she wouldn't even call him Charlie. She deliberately called him every variation of Charles he had ever heard and then thrown in a few he hadn't. When she wasn't just hollering "Hey, Bass!" across the store. For someone so tiny, she certainly had a dominant personality. Like a chihuahua.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

Family dinner was not something Bart Bass normally did. He wasn't overly comfortable with sitting and eating and chatting. Listening to Lily's kids ramble on about their day. Having Lily complain about her mother visiting or whatever else was going on. He much preferred to work later into the evening and come home after everyone had settled in for the night.

Now when he and Lily first moved in together, it was different. He did make an effort to come home and at least be in the residence at a decent hour. Maybe even spend some quality time with her and the children. As the kids got older they were less inclined to want to spend any time with him, preferring to watch television or talk to their friends online. They weren't too fond of him to begin with and his awkward attempts at bonding with them never helped.

But tonight on the third day of having his son with him in New York, Bart found himself leaving the office at a respectable 6:06 to go home to have dinner with the kids and wife. The domesticity of it all made him ill. But he liked having Charles with him in his home. He still didn't know the boy very well and the boy had a lot to learn about Bart, but for the time being they seemed to like each other. And Bart hoped having Charles around would calm Serena down a bit since she wouldn't be the center of everyone's attention for once.

He rode the elevator up to their penthouse and braced himself. Half of the time Serena had a friend over and they would giggle and talk all through dinner. He just wanted to have a quiet dinner with his family for once. He didn't realize how much he could enjoy it until last week when he would sit down to eat with Charles. He was a quiet boy, he always had been. He knew from his parents and the reports he regularly received that he wasn't shy but just a strong silent type. He chooses what to share carefully. It was nice to eat with someone who didn't need to constantly fill the silence with mindless chatter.

Maybe he could make a point to have dinner with just the boys once in a while. Even young Eric wasn't as talkative as his sister.

He steps off the elevator and sighs. It is good to be home even if he does have some more work to do after dinner. Sometimes he thought about selling the company and enjoying the rest of his life. He rarely ever took any time for himself. But what would he do all day? Drink with Lily? Bart would be bored in two days. He needs the action, needs to stay busy. Needs the challenge. Even when they go on a family vacation, Bart only commits himself to one work-free day.

The house is not as noisy as it usually is when he arrives home for dinner. He had seen Blair stepping off the elevator as he was entering the building. He knew from Lily that she was leaving for the summer the next day and wouldn't be back until the end of August. She had smiled politely at him and wished him good evening. He had told her to enjoy her visit with her father in France. She really was a nice enough girl when she wasn't chattering endlessly. Or maybe she just knew how to behave herself.

But without Blair around for the summer, he was certain Serena would try to avoid him as much as possible in the coming weeks. And he hated to say it, but he was not upset about that.

Currently his stepdaughter was sitting on the couch across from her brother and they both looked up at him as he stepped off the elevator. Serena went back to her phone and for a brief moment he wanted to snatch it out of her hand and ban cell phones at the dinner table. But then he realized that would probably apply to him also and that really didn't work for him.

"Hi, kids, good day today?" Bart tried for friendly, he wasn't sure he was successful.

Eric always took pity on him, "Yeah, we went out for lunch with Charlie. Blair forced a bunch of clothes on him. He may be traumatized but it was a successful outing."

"Good, where is your mother? I'm starving."

Serena finally spoke up, "I saw her in Chuck's room. I think she was instructing your valet about what to do with his new clothes. But she said she'd be down. Chuck's beside himself. He keeps telling her he can take care of it but you know Mom, she won't listen. And, really, he did look a little helpless."

"Well, I'm sure she's just trying to help. I'll go check on them." Bart climbed the stairs to his son's room to see Charles staring dejectedly as Bart's valet listened intently to Lily's instructions about dry cleaning and where to put which article of clothing. Lily was beautiful when she was in command. It is why he adored her so much. He wished she would use the talent for some other reason than heading up social committees.

"Lily, darling, I'm sure Samuel is aware of how to take care of a few suits. Let the man take care of it and let's have dinner."

"Oh, Bart! You startled me! Okay, you're right, Bart. Samuel, you know what to do. Charles, let's go have dinner. I'm famished!" Lily flashed Bart a smile and she kissed his cheek. She was glad he was home.

"Charles, are you hungry?" Bart turned to his son who was still watching the valet steam his new pants in preparation for putting them away. Charlie turned his gaze to Bart and nodded. Wordlessly, he followed Lily and Bart downstairs to where Serena and Eric were waiting at the table.

Serena and Lily talked about the shopping trip and the new things Serena had bought. Bart inwardly rolled his eyes as he mentally calculated how much money they spent. He didn't care, there was plenty of money. There was a reason the kids had a generous allowance. He just wondered how Serena would cope if he cut her off. That would be interesting. It sounded like a reality show. Socialites who suddenly had to fend for themselves. Didn't that Hilton girl do that? Hmm, Bart didn't like the Hiltons one bit but that sounded like an idea.

Charlie was quiet as he ate and Bart made a mental note to talk to him later privately. He had a few things to discuss with him but now was not the time.

The kids had long ago given up trying to talk to Bart about work. Serena was never that interested about the business and Eric didn't have the stomach for it. He was a sweet kid, smart, but didn't have the stomach for it. Eric was unusually quiet this evening but Bart thought nothing of it. His mother and sister were in their own world and sometimes Eric was left behind. He'd take the boys out soon, maybe a baseball game. He hasn't been to a game in ages.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8: Eric and Serena

After dinner, Eric returned to his room to find that Bart's valet had made a stop in his room to put his new things away. He sighed and shook his head, wanting to just go to bed before any more family drama occurred. He has thought a lot recently about his place in the family and he was confused. He was over the sighs, the head shaking, the eye rolls. The dirty looks and comments made just softly enough to not be heard.

Eric really liked Bart. Bart always tries to include Eric in what he's doing especially if it's not work related. Of course, ninety percent of Bart's waking hours is spent working and at least eight percent is spent having sex with Lily (or whatever the hell they do in their bedroom). So, not much time left to spend with his adopted children. And now, there was another person to share that remaining 21.6 minutes a day with Bart. Yes, Eric did the math. (It was shockingly accurate.) Not that Serena cared that much, she was used to having all of their mother's attention and that's all she wanted.

But, really, Charlie seemed okay. Eric was really trying not to hate him. He was so quiet that Eric didn't know if Charlie even wanted to be there or how he felt about the sudden upheaval of his entire life. He didn't seem to have much to say about anything, not that Eric was very interested in dealing with it anyway. He had his own problems but it's not like anyone ever cared about Eric. Everybody just left him to his own devices and he was certain things wouldn't get any better now that Bart's real son had come to live with them. He had already seen a difference. Bart had just spent a week in Connecticut with the guy just so he could finish the school year with his friends. Bart wouldn't even come to his school for an hour to see his debate team compete.

And Eric knew he was being selfish but he couldn't help it. He had only had Bart as his official father for less than a year before this guy came around. And Eric really liked having a dad even if it is for like fifteen minutes a day at best. He hasn't had that with the other guys his mother had married. He didn't even remember his real father but the bastard didn't even contest the adoption so he must not mean anything to William either. He really didn't understand why Serena was so obsessed with finding him.

Eric was pulled from his introspection by a knock on his open door. Bart stood in the doorway watching him. "I don't mean to interrupt, you look deep in thought, but I thought I should check in with you. We haven't talked in a while." Bart invited himself in and sat on Eric's bed. Eric took a seat in his desk chair. Sitting beside Bart on the bed always made him feel too vulnerable.

"It's fine, I'm just thinking about some things. I thought you had a call to make?" Eric didn't feel like getting into this with Bart. He knew it made Bart uncomfortable to talk about feelings and emotions and Bart already thought he was weak. No need to add fuel to the fire.

"Anything you'd like to share? I know there have been a lot of changes around here recently. I just wanted to make sure you aren't upset about anything." Bart was not going to make it easy for Eric and they both knew it. Bart really took seriously his role as the father in the family, guiding and protecting his children, whether they wanted it or not.

Eric shook his head, "I think this might be something I have to figure out on my own. I have to figure out…" Eric didn't finish his sentence and he couldn't look at Bart but he could feel Bart's eyes boring into him.

But Bart thought he knew what Eric wanted to say and he wasn't going to force Eric to say it. "I was thinking maybe you and Charles would like to go to a Yankees game with me this weekend. That could be fun, right?"

"Are Serena and Mom coming?"

Bart laughed (honest to God laughed), "I don't think either of them would be the slightest bit interested in baseball. But I could ask if you want?" Eric laughed, he almost never heard him crack a joke.

"That's a good one Bart. But, yeah, that'll be fun. I'd like that."

Bart smiled and stood. "Great, I'll set it up. Remember, Eric, my door is always open to you. I can make time for you, just say the word." Bart left before Eric could reply, leaving Eric a little more confused than before (Bart was so confusing sometimes) but feeling a bit better about his place in the family.

After a while Eric heard his sister come upstairs and decided to go talk to her. They hadn't had a lot of time, just the two of them since Charlie had arrived. Bart had decided the day before to take the day off from work (completely unheard of) to take the family out for the day. All that family time was so draining on all of them, it is no wonder their mother and grandmother drink during the day.

He wandered next door to her bedroom and knocked on the slightly opened door. He knew better than to barge in. She loved him but she would pin him in two seconds and give him a wet willy. She peeked out from inside her of closet and waved him in, grinning.

He leaned on the doorframe of her walk-in closet and watched her go through her bags of new bathing suits and sundresses. She chattered on happily about this and that and Eric didn't really pay much attention to her ramblings but he was happy to not be in his quiet bedroom alone.

Finally, she was done organizing her things and hiding the clothes she didn't want Bart to see (for whatever reason her mother didn't trust her and would snoop sometimes). She knew Bart disapproved of most of her clothing choices. She chose to believe it was because he knew what he was thinking when he saw a woman dressed like that and didn't want anyone to be thinking like that about his daughter. She chose to believe that over thinking that he just wanted people to see her a chaste upright young woman who didn't shame the Bass name. Really, what century is this?

Serena joined Eric on the bed where he had retreated after about five minutes of watching her look for her new favorite blue mini skirt. She couldn't wait to wear it at the beach. Maybe she would give Bart a heart attack.

"So, Bart invited me to a baseball game on Saturday."

Serena laughed, "Sounds exciting. Have you ever been to a baseball game?"

"I've come across them in tv, they look so boring, but he seems excited about it. Well as excited as Bart gets about anything. But it's nice that he wants to spend time with me and Charlie. He's not so bad, you never give him any credit."

"I don't have to give him any credit. He's an asshole. I swear, it's like he doesn't even like us. He just wants to use us to make himself look better. And Chuck? Where the hell did he even come from? He's the broodiest guy I've ever met!"

"Serena, his parents just died, of course he's brooding. And, he's been thrown into this new family with a father he never met before and let's not talk about his stepmother."

Serena narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you bring Mom into this."

"I'm just saying that maybe you could give him more of a chance than you've given Bart. He can't help who he has to deal with now. I'm sure that given the choice, he would rather have his old life back with his parents instead of being here with people who only know how to day drink or work fifteen hours a day. I'm going to bed." Eric left his sister's room in a huff, not looking back even when she called out to him.

He went downstairs in search of something to take the edge off. Bart's scotch was disgusting but it would do and Eric knew no one would really care if he took up drinking anyway. He had been feeling better about everything after his talk with Bart, but now he just felt more confused and lonely than ever.

 


End file.
